.liiicricaii /''islicrlcs Society. 37 



On the AuKTican shore of Lake Sui)c'rior, for the same dis- 

 tance of coast Hue, from the Sault to (iraiid Marais, where the 

 closed season law has never been in force until last year, or the 

 amount of nets limited to tugs or sail boats, nor the number of 

 pound nets limited to the amount of coast line, the grounds are 

 fished by two of the largest firms in the business, besides num- 

 erous small ones. These grounds have received large plants of 

 whitefish fry from the Sault Hatchery in the past seven years, and 

 th.e result is that for three years there has been a large increase in 

 the catch of whitefish on these grounds. Last year I was in- 

 formed by the fishermen at WHiitefish Point that during June and 

 July their catch was larger than it had been for ten years, and 

 there was no doubt that it was from the result of planting, as the 

 fish were different from their usual run of whitefish in Lake Su- 

 perior. This is easily accounted for and proves conclusively that 

 'he whitefish taken from these grounds were planted fish, for 

 the majority of fish planted on these grounds were hatched from 

 eggs taken on the Detroit River, and it is very easy to distinguish 

 a Lake Erie whitefish from those of Lake Superior. 



From the results obtained on Lake Superior, where one shore 

 has had a closed season and a number of other restrictions, and 

 the other having the benefit of artificial propagation, but no pro- 

 tection. I have come to the conclusion that the only salvation for 

 the commercial fisheries is the protection of the small fish until 

 they have come to maturity and by artificial propagation. I think 

 T can safely make the statement that Lake Superior has alwavs 

 had a closed season for whitefish. for I know of but a few groimds 

 wlierc whitefish have been taken in November, that were spawn- 

 ing fish. T believe that a majoritv of the whitefish spawn in the 

 latter part of Xovember and the first part of December, when it 

 is almost an utter impossil)ility to fish for them. 



The argument used by a great many in favor of a closed sea- 

 son is that the fish are not disturbed while spawning. This is 

 true, but as there is only a very small per cent, of the whitefish 

 eggs fertilized naturally, besides having numerous enemies, the 

 chances of ever hatching or coming to maturity are ver\' small. 

 By disturbing the spawning function, however, and running the 

 eggs through a hatchery, 60 to 90 per cent, of the eggs taken are 

 returned to the waters as fry. All of the fish that come to the 

 spawning ground are not taken; many spawn naturally, and as 

 each female produces upwards of 25,000 eggs, if a very small 

 per cent, of the spawn naturally cast would hatch and come to ma- 



